How to Make Gujiyas

Yields: 8-10

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients needed to make Gujiyas:

For the dough:

• 4 oz plain flour
• 2 tbsp plain flour, stirred in a splash of cold water to make a paste
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 14 fl oz water
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil, warmed

For the filling:

• 3 oz dried figs, chopped
• 3 oz dates, chopped
• 3 tbsp cashew nuts, finely chopped
• 3 oz almonds, finely chopped
• 3 oz raisins, finely chopped
• 3 oz dates, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• ½ cup demerara sugar
• 18 fl oz vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

Cooking instructions for Gujiyas:

• To prepare the dough, stir a large pinch of salt as well as baking soda into the flour until well combined and sieve the mixture into a bowl.
• Drizzle the oil into it and work them together with your fingers until they blend together to form a uniform mixture resembling fine crumbs.
• Add a splash of water and knead the mixture briefly.
• Repeat the process until most of the water is used up to form a stiff yet soft dough.
• Wrap it up with a moist cloth and set aside.
• To make the filling, dump all its ingredients, except oil, into a pan and stir them all together to mix well.
• Cook the filling for a couple of minutes, over slow flame, until they clump together.
• Remove from heat and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
• Split the dough into 8-10 golf-sized balls and flatten each of them, using a floured rolling pin, into a 4’’ wide and ½‘’thick disc.
• Place 1 tbsp of the cooled filling into along one side of the dough disc and fold the other end over it.
• Brush small amount of flour-water paste along the open edges and twist them inwards, while pressing them together at the same time to seal.
• Press a fork along the sealed border to create crimped patterns and place into onto a plate.
• Make rest of the gujiyas in a similar fashion while keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth until all of them are ready.
• Pour in the vegetable oil into a deep-bottomed wok or deep fryer and heat it to 325 degrees F or until a small piece of bread sizzles when tossed into it.
• Lower the gujiyas into the hot oil, few at a time, and deep fry them for several minutes, turning them over once halfway through cooking until they turn golden brown.
• Drain them out, using slotted spoon, and place them on a plate, lined with layers of absorbent papers.
• Set aside until they cool down completely and serve at room temperature.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons